Torpedo shaped suspended railway vehicle for high speeds



Sept. 1, 1931. c. S TEDEFEL D 1,821,121

TORPEDO SHAPED SUSPENDED RAILWAY VEHICLE FOR HIGH SPEEDS Filed April 27,1928 Patented Sept. 1, 1931 PATENT) OFFICE CUR-'1 STEDEFELD, OFHEIDELBEBG, GERMANY TOR-PEDO SHAPED SUSPENDED BAILVIAY VEHICLE FORHIGI-I SPEEDS Application filed April 27, 1528, Serial No.

For high speed railways with very high speeds 300 km. hr. and more,various vehicles of wind cutting form mostly on the mono rail suspendedand propeller driven system have been correctly proposed as the mostsuitable.

The rail constructional work of such high speed railways is in allcircumstances more expensive than the long distance railways hitherto inuse. Such high speed railways can only be economically establishedtherefore where the trailic density is high, that is where a hightransport output expressible in number oi passengers carried timeskilometres of track covered per day, is required from the line. Assumingthe easily examined case of a high speed line between only two placeswith a maximum speed of 300 km. hour and a ourney speed oi 200 km. hour.Assuming the line to be used by the same number of persons each day forthe to and fro journey n the railway operation used hitherto Wl'i'll 100km. hour maximum speed and 67 km. hour journey speed between the sameplaces. Then the same number of tickets wouid be sold daily as on therailway and there would depart. in 24: hours the same munber of equalsize trains, but the high speed passengers and trains would be inmovenuznt only for a third of the previous time, the trains andoperating staii would arrive again at the starting point and be free fora new journey. in other words there are needed onl one third the vehiclespace and operating stafi'; the high speed railway in this way operatesconsiderably more efficiently than the ordinary railway. On the otherhand the track and operating material costs are much higher. For thesame profitableness the high speed railway with the same transportoutput must charge higher fares or else its transport output must exceedthat of the ordinary railway line, that is, it

5 must transport more than the previous passcngcr l ad of one railwayline or other parallel traffic carrying agenoy. For this purpose thehigh speed railway has the 0 best prospects right from the start owingto its very great speed. It can then operate 273,348, and in GermanyApril 30, 1927.

for the same fares per person and per kilometre as the ordinary railway.If for examplein the case under consideration three times as manypersons travel as before, with three times as high speed as beforeexactly as many persons per car and therewith vehicles and operatingstafi will always be in movement as previously on the ordinary railways.The returns, however, with the same tarifii will in the same time bethree times as great as before, and since the sum of the considerablyhigher track and operating material expenscs and the butslightly highervehicle and costs are by far less than three times as great as thecorresponding costs on the ordinary railway, a high speed railway linewith such a transport output will considerably exceed an ordinaryrailway in profitableness. In the first place therefore economy requireshigher transport output of a high speed railway, that is an increasednumber of passenger places leaving the stations in unit time;furthermore a very essential condition of high speed transport avoidanceof waiting times is only to be obtained by short time intervals betweentrains. The traflic is, however, is no way uniform through the day andon different days. If vehicles of medium size are used in low trafficperiods sufficiently frequent trailic facilities can be given andexcessive waiting times avoided, but in heavy traffic periods a changemust be rapidly made to a vehicle sequence with very short timeintervals, which is limited by the oper ating security provided by thesignalling system. It is fundamentally possible, by considerableextension of the signal system in use hitherto, to obtain approximatelya two minutes train interval. With vehiclesfor at the most persons,which with regard to propeller drive are still efficient, up to 1500persons could be carried each hour equalling the load of three ordinaryrailway trains. Apart from the installation costs of such an extensivesignalling system, such an operat-' ing system makes very heavy demandson the exact carrying out of all working operations; in practicaloperation the lowest interval which makes allowance'for emergencies suchas machine or signal operation interruptions, shortexaminations of theline sections, and so forth has shown itself to be three minutes belowwhich with slight interruptions noticeable disadvantages occur. Alongwith high operating times with the likelihood of delays and so forth itmust further be borne in mind how at the numerous connections made withordinary railway trains during the day hundreds of passengers descend atonce on to the hi h speed line stations and expect tobe carried furtherby the high speed line without delay. Then even with very close sequenceof individually driven vehicles a part of the passengers must always bewaiting and find fault with this.

All such cases will tend towards the sec-' o'nd way of increasing thetransport output, namely, the enlargement of individual transports. 7

if for example trains of 6 vehicles each for persons could be run at theconvenient interval of three minutes, the continuous transport capacitywould be increased to 20 300=6,000 persons corresponding to 12 ordinaryrailway trains. There is thus obtained four times the amount of carryingcapacity that was previously possible with two minute intervals yetwithout the installation cost of the extended signalling system, withoutsuch stringent requirements of operating exactness and besides a smalleroperating staff is necessary. The characteristics of propeller drive,however, do not permit the trains to be made up simply by puttingtogether a long series of passenger vehicles with propeller locomotivescoupled in front or behind. The propeller diameter must not exceed anamount limited by the cross section profile of the line. The greater thehorsepower imposed on this given propeller surface, the worse thepropeller operates in regard to noise, driving efliciency andparticularly to the tractive force obtainable per horse power. For thisreason as light as possible, not too large, torpedo shaped drivingvehicles or driving vehicle trains are employed. Coupling together ofthe propeller driven vehicles to form a train has hitherto only beenconsidered with large distances between the vehicles, long coupling rodsbeing interposed between the torpedo shaped vehicles in order tomaintain them at a distance, about 10 metres, suilicient for the freeaction of the propeller stream. Such arrangements have the greatdisadvantage that the coupling is not only very inconvenient to effect,but above all that the desired rapid'filling and emptying procedure willsuffer due to the fact that the space between individual vehicles iswasted and unnecessarily increases the cost of the platform structure.

In contradistinction the present invention enables considerably shortertrain lengths and fully utilized platform lengths with proper care forsatisfactory propeller operating conditions and the use at will of theindividual vehicles as separately running driven vehicles, as thefollowing describes in greater detail with reference to the accompanyingdrawings.

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a device embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a similar view of a modified form,

ig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal cross sectional view of a detail ofthe device,

Fig. 4 is a similar view of another detail,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged end view of the body portion of one of the cars,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of a cross-section taken along line VIVI ofFig. 5.

Figure 1 shows the new propeller vehicle train seen from the side. Thetorpedo shaped vehicles 11, 12, 13 and 14 are similar to one another andclosely coupled together at 15, 16 and 17, for example by one of theknown automatic couplings, so that the coupling up is simply and rapidlyeffected. In contradistinction to the previously knownstreamlinepropeller driven vehicles, here the torpedo shape is formedwithout points before and behind; the vehicles are as it were cut offand terminate before and behind in transverse cross-sectional areashaving equal diameters (18 to 25). Only the fore most vehicle has itsstreamline form completed by a round cap on the front and the rearmostvehicle 11 by a point 27. By means of these parts which are shown ingreater detail in Figures 3 and 4-, a streamline shape is obtained.Between the individual vehicles the air does not close completely infront of that decreasing part at which in such bodies the greatestdanger of termination of stream action exists (see Hutte, 25th editionvol. 1 page 371 figure 421) and the air meets the increasing )art of thefollowing vehicle head. Here the air stream is again forced outwards andaccelerated so that the danger of termination and thus the main sourceof air resistance losses, is avoided. -For this reason and for saving inlength the shortenin is made as great as possible, since the inner spaceof the torpedo points can hardly be made use of. The amount ofshortening is always limited by the operating requirements of thepropellers 28 to 31. It is known that the centre third of the propellersurface is almost ineffective and that the centre of pressure of theblade lies at about 0.7 to 0.75 of the radius from the centre.Accordingly, when the propeller is mounted directly in the cut offsurface, the diameter of this surface can extend from about to of thatof the propeller without the efficiency of the latter being reduced. Theefficiency may even be a little increased, as has been observed in thecase of axial pumps and Kaplan turbines, with hubs to of the bladediameter. The intermediate space between the end surfaces 19 and 20, 21and 22-, 23 and 24 will be made as small as possible, only suflicientfor the play of the buffered couplings 15, 16 and 17.

Naturally the invention can also be carried into effect, when as inFigure 2 (side view) only some of the vehicles 32 and have propellerdrives, the others 33 and 34 being without driving means, and when thepropellers 36 and 37 are at the front ends of the respective vehicles 32and 35. The vehicles are here connected by short coupling rods 38, 39and 40 which can remain permanently attached to one of the vehicle ends.Between the vehicles 33 and 34 a somewhat different form of junction isshown: vehicle 34 has at the rear a fixed point 53 which disappears intoa hollow space 52 in the front end of the vehicle 33. In the oppositeway, between vehicle 34 and vehicle 35 for example is shown how a fixedfront end 54 can be so enclosed by a rear hollow space 55 of the vehicle35 that the train has the desired chain form with no sharp changes inthe general exterior shape.

Figure 3 (longitudinal section) shows more fully the stream line nose 27which can be attached to the last vehicle. 28 is the propeller of thelast vehicle; its hub 41 is connected to the propeller shaft 43 in theusual way by a nut 42 and taper seating. The conical sheet nose 27 fitsupon centering seats 44 of the propeller 28. It is very firmly held by along bolt 45 screwing into the propeller shaft 43. This point weighsvery little and is rapidly and safely attached and removed.

Figure 4 (longitudinal section) shows an arrangement for the stream linecompleting cap 26 on the front end of the first vehicle, in the form oftwo hemi-spherical caps which are permanently attached to the vehiclebody in such a manner that when needed they can easily be movedoutwardly. For this purpose the cap halves 26aand 26?) are rotatablyheld on a pin 46 in the vehicle body. If the vehicle is not the foremostof a train, the cap halves have the position shown in full lines insidethe vehicle driving body 26a, 26?). If it is the foremost they can beswung into the dotted line position 26a, 26 5 by the aid of thespreading levers 47a, 47b and securing rod 48, and then complete thetorpedo form of the frontend.

If in mono-rail suspended railways the vehicles are arranged so thatthey can swing about the rail 49, Figures 1 and 2, so as to permitautomatic banking on curves, then during running on curves or under theaction of side winds or rail unevennesses, there is the possibility ofthe end surfaces 19 and 20, 21 and 22, 23 and 24 or 50 and 51, 52 and 53and 54 and 55 moving in relation to one another through swinging out ofthe various vehicles by different amounts and then naturally the airstream is greatly affected. Bad effects through vertical displacementsdue to oscillation of the vehicles on their carrying springs are not tobe feared owing to the smallness of these movements. The relativehorizontal swinging of the vehicles could be prevented in thearrangement of Figure 1 solely by the lateral rigidity of the couplings15, 16, 17, but owing to the small distance of the couplings 15, 16, 17from the rail which forms the axis of oscillation the lateral forces tobe transmitted from one vehicle to another would be very great. It isbetter to transmit the lateral forces at the closely abutting cut offsurfaces 19 and 20, 21 and 22 and 23 and 24, since they are at a greaterdistance from the rail 49, forming the axis of oscillation. Such anarrangement is shown in Figure 5 (end View) and- Figure 6 (lower half invertical longitudinal section and upper half in section on line VIVI ofFigure 5). The vehicle end 59 cooperates with a tongue 56 in the centreof the cut off surface 61, which tongue enters a guide 57a, 57b in theend 58 of the next vehicle. It permits no lateral movement between thevehicle ends 58 and 59 or at most only a limited -movement in as far asthe guides 57a, 575 may be supported by spring 60a, 605. If the springsas shown comprise strongly bent piles of laminations, then in additionthese small lateral movements are effectively clamped by the frictionaleffect of adjoining members rubbing upon one another. If the vehicle end59, as shown, carries a propeller, the tongue 56 must he in line withthe propeller shaft nut 63 and by being supported on a bearing 62allow'it to revolve freely when the tongue is firmly held between theguides 57a, 57 Z). As shown in Figure 5 the tongue can nevertheless moveup and down without restraint between the guides during relative up anddown movements of the vehicles 58 and 59, see the positions 56 and 56".Naturally other constructions embodying the invention are possible, thetongue bearing 62 instead of being on theextended nut 63 could forexample be on the extended propeller shaft 43, and so forth.

It should also be mentioned thatthe devices according to Figures 5 and 6do not exclude the application of those of Figures 3 and 4. The tongue56 can have a small hole and the nut 63 or shaft 43 a tapped hole formedin it, in which the securing bolt 45 for the point cap 27 fits. At theother end the guiding device of Figure 5 can be directly mounted in thehollow space shown in Figure 4 while permitting the swinging cap halves26a, 26b to move freely in all positions. 2

I claim:

l. Torpedo shaped suspended railway vehicles for high speeds adapted tobe formed into trains, in which an end of each vehicle is removable insuch a manner that the vehicles can be arranged close behind one anotherwith shortened ends of substantially equal cross section.

2. The invention as set forth in claim 1, wherein coupling means isprovided at the ends of each vehicle and propellers are provided on someof said vehicles adjacent said coupling means.

3. The invention as set forth in claim 1, wherein coupling means areprovided at the ends of each vehicle, said coupling means preventinghorizontal relative movement between said vehicles.

4:. Torpedo shaped suspended railway vehiclesfor high speeds adapted tobe formed into; train-s according to claim 1 in which coupling membersat the constricted portions of the vehicle tram permit the individualvehicles to move freely, in a vertical direction but hold them firmly inrelation to one another in the direction of lateral swinging; saidcoupling members at the constricted portions of the vehicle beingarranged to eiiect damped spring coupling oi the individual vehicles ina la oeral direction.

5. A railway train comprising a plurality of similar vehicles ofsubstantially torpedo sl1ape,means for intimately oining said vehicleswhereby the train as an entirety has a generally stream-line shape.

6. The combination with a plurality of similar vehicles, each oisubstantially torpedo shape, of means for effecting telescopingengagement of the abutting ends of adjacent vehicles, whereby the groupof vehicles as an entirety has a generally stream-line shape.

7. The combination with a plurality of similar vehicles, each ofsubstantially torpedo shape, oi means for effecting telescopingengagement of the abutting ends of adjacent vehicles, whereby the groupof vehicles as an entirety has a, generally streamline shape, andcoupling means providing substantially free relative displacement in avertical direction but restricted relative displacement in a horizontaldirection.

8. A coupling for a plurality of vehicles comprising a plug membercarried by one vehicle and a socket member carried by an adjacentvehicle, said socket member comprising a plurality of spring-pressedguide members for receiving said plug member and mounted. to permitsubstantially free lateral movement of said plug member in one directionbut restricted lateral movement in all other directions.

9. A railway train comprising a plurality of independently operable,similar, streamlined vehicles and means for joining said vehiclescomprising'a recessed end on each vehicle, the opposite end of eachvehicle being inserted in the recess of an adjacent vehicle, saidrecesses being of such size relative to the shape of the vehicle thatthe train has a generally stream-line shape.

10. In a railway train, a plurality of similar, propeller-driven,stream-lined vehicles and means for joining said vehicles providing alateral cross-sectional area of jointure of a size substantially equalto the ineliective inner portion of the propeller slipstream.

l. In a railway train, a plurality of fillilar, propeller-drivenvehicles of substantially torpedo snape, and means for joining saidvehicles to form an articulate, unitary body, having joints coaxial withand adjacent to propellers, the diameter of said joints being from tothe diameter of the propellers.

12. In an articu ate railway train comprising a plurality of intimatelyjoined sections, means for driving said train comprising propellersnounted adjacent the joints oi said train.

133;. in an articulate railway train comprising a plurality ofintimately joiner sections of substantially circular cross-section,means for driving said train comprising propellers mounted adjacent thejoints of said train and coaxial therewith.

i l. in an articulate railway train comprising a plurality of intimatelyjoined sections of substantially circular cross-section, means-fordriving said train comprising propellers mounted adjacent the joints oisaid train and coaxial therewith, he lateral crosaseetional areas ofsaid train adjacent said propellers being of such size as to lie in thesubstantiall inetlicient working portion of the propeller slip-stream.

15. in a vehicle of substantially torpedo shape,- a body ineinoer,pivoted end members and means for rotating said end members to aposition within said body memher, said end members being of such shapethat when rotated to a position within the body member, an opening inthe body member is produced, having its edges lying in a planesubstantially perpendicular the vehicle axis.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

CURT STEDEFELD.

